Bag-closing machine



1. E. MILLER.

BAG CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 5,1911% v 1' 32 1 ,232 Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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BAG CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION r1120 MAR. 5. 1918. 1,321,232.-

J. E. MILLER.

BAG CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1918.

1 ,32 1 ,232. Patented Nov. 11, 1919,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. E. MILLER,

BAG CLOSING MACHINE.-

APPLICATION FILEDJMR. 5, 1918.

1,321,232. 2 Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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BAG CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 5. 191a.

Patented N0... 11, 1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

J. E. MILLER.

BAG CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEEI fi- Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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JESSE E. MILLER, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BAG-CLOSING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed March 5, 1918. Serial No. 220,607.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JESSE E. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bag-Closing Machines, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanymg drawing. 1

My improvement relates particularly to sewing machines for closing filled bags, such bags being closed by sewing across the upper end instead of tying such end. But my improvement is applicable also to sewing machines for sewing other articles which are delivered successively to the sewing mechanisn'i.

For examples of such machines, reference is made to my Letters Patent of the United States, No.-92i,175, granted June 8, 1909; and No. 918,184, granted April 13,, 1909; and X0. 973,123, granted October 18, 1910.

The object of the present improvement is to embody in such machines better means for conveying the bags to and beyond the sewing mechanism.

Generally speaking, the improvement consists in a main conveyer section placed under the sewing head, and associated therewith means for moving said main section upward and downward, and an auxiliary conveyer -section associated with said main section, the

auxiliary section being placed in approximate alinement with the main section and having one end meet one end of the main section and saidvend of the auxiliary section being arranged to move up and down independently of its other end and to conform with the up and down movements of the main section.

Two forms of the improvement are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the first of these forms one end of the main section of the conveyer is relatively distant 'from head while the other end extends beneath the sewing head, the distant end being hinged to a. fixed support, and the other end being movable up and down. From the hinged end of the main section, a stationary conveyer. section extends still farther from the sewing head. A single conveyer belt extends around Filled bags are placed upon this belt and brought to the the sewing sewing head. At the movable end of the main section is an auxiliary conveyer section in approximate alinement with the main section and having the end adjacent the main section arranged for up and down movement synchronously with the up and down movements of the main section, while the opposite end of the auxiliary section is stationary or approximately stationary. The auxiliary" section has a conveyer belt independent of the belt of the main conveyer. The function of this auxiliary conveyer is to receive bags from the -main conveyer and convey them to a chosen discharge point. This auxiliary conveyer may be of such length as will meet the requirements of any given case. In the second of these forms, the main conveyer section has a parallel or bodily up and down movement under thesewing head, and at each end of the main sectionis an auxiliary conveyer section arranged in approximate alinement with the main section and having the ends adjacent the main section movable up and down synchronously with the up and down movements of the main section. A belt surrounds the main and the auxiliary section over which bags travel toward the sewing head. The other auxiliary conveyer section has its own conveyer belt. I

In-both of these forms, the belt which is applied to the main conveyer section may also be applied to the auxiliary conveyer sectio over which the bags are conveyed from the main conveyer section; but this is not necessary, because the bags leaving the main conveyer section may be allowed to fall forward lengthwise and land upon the auxiliary pled or articulated to themain section as to cause the adjacent ends of the auxiliary sections to be supported and moved up and down by the main section.

In the accompanying drawings,

'Figure 1 is a plan of an-appa-ratus embodying the first of said forms:

Fig. 2"is a front elevation of the same mechanism, portions being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a front elevationot the middle parts of the apparatus;

- position Fig. 7 is a front elevation illustrating the ab ave-mentioned second form Fig. 8 .is an upright section through the two right'hand conveyer sections shown in Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line, f)9, of Fig. 7', portions being broken away;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section through the right hand conveyer section shown in Fig. 7 portions being broken away.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of said drawings, A is the stationary body of the machine. A is the sewing head. For details concerning said head and the means for operating it, reference is made 'to my above-mentioned Letters Patent.

In the front part of the body of the machine are two upright counterweight guides, A Between said guides is a counterweight, A engaging said guides for confinin said weight to up-and-down movement. 6n the body of the machine is a housing, A, in which are two guide rollers, A A cable, A extends from the counterweight upward and over said guide rollers and then down over the left hand face of the machine to a lever A, to which'it is coupled. Said lever is parallel to said face of the machine, and its rear end has a longitudinal slot, A which receives a horizontal wrist, A", located on the body, A. By this means, the rear end of said lever is held against up-and-down movement but is allowed to move endwise to the extent of the length of saidslot. The forward end of said lever extends beneath the main conveyer section, B, and is coupled to the latter at A so that the position of saidend of the lever is determined by the position of that part of the main conveyer section. The of the lever, 4 A determines the position of the counterweight; the latter constantly drawing on the cable, A, and tending to lift the forward end of said lever. In other words, the counterweight is put into such operative relation with the main conveyer section as to con- .stantly tend to lift said section.

One end of the main conveyer section, the end to which the lever, A is c-oupled,'is the discharge end and extends beneath the sewing head. A. The opposite end, the receiving end, of said main section extends approximately horrizontally to a point distant from said sewing head and 1s hin ed at' B on an axls which 15 horizontal and transverse to the length of said sect-ion. This construction provides for the bodily turning of said section on said axis through a short are,

whereby the discharge end of said section, the end which is under the sewing head, may be moved upward and downward to bring the upper ends of 'bags movin r on said section to the sewing head. lVlthin said main section, opposite the body, A, is a horizontal cross shaft, B to which is coupled the upper end of a link, B The lower end of said link is coupled to a crank, B which is rigid on a transmission shaft, 13'', which is horizontal and perpendicular to the front ofthe machine and is actuated by means disclosed by my above-mentioned Letters Patent. By turning said crank into different positions, the elevation of the link, B is'varied, and thereby the elevation of the discharge end of the main conveyer sec- -tion is varied accordingly. When the crank is in its lowest position, that end of the conveyer section is in its lowest position, and when said crank is turned into its highest position, that end of the conveyer section is in its highest position.

C is the stationary conveyer section. This is in alinement with the main conveyer section andmeets the hinged end of the latter.

At its outer end, the section, C, has an idle transverse horizontal roller, G The discharge end of the main conveyer section has a transverse horizontal roller, B, mounted on a shaft, B", which rests in bearings, B The stationary section, C, has an upper floor, C and the main section has a similar floor, B An endless belt, B rests upon the floors, B and C and extends over rollers, B and C ()n the rear end of said shaft, B is a sprocket wheel, 13, to which is applied a drive chain, 13, which is driven by means associated with the body, A, of the machine, as described in my above-mentioned Letters Patent.

Said transmission shaft is turned in the proper direction to draw the upper part of the belt, 13 from the roller, C toward the roller, B. Filled bags are set in upright position upon said belt, and the latter carries-said bags to the discharge end of the main conveyer section. As the bags approach the sewing head, the attendant at the sewing machine actua-tes the controlling mechanism of the machine whereby the crank, B is positioned to bring the upper ends of the bags to the height of thestitclr ing linethe horizontal line in which the sewing head forms the stitches.

Between and parallel to the shafts, B and B is an idle shaft, 13, on which is a defleeting roller, 13, over which the belt, 13 extends for deflection to avoid contact with the shaft, B and the upper end of the link, B

1) is the auxiliary conveyer section. This i located at the left of and in approximate alinement with andsmeeting the end of the main conveyor section. On the receiving end of the section, D, the end which meets thesection, B, are a pair of hook-form arms, D one of which rests on-one bearing, B and the other on the other bearing, B of the main section. By this means, that end of the auxiliary section is coupled or hinged to the main section to be supported andcarried up and down thereby. For a purpose to be hereinafter explained, the upper face of the receiving end of the auxiliary section is made a little lower than the adjacent upper face of the main section. In the oppo site or discharge end of the auxiliary section is a horizontal, transverse shaft, D having ends projecting beyond the sides of said section. To said ends of said shaft is coupled the upper end of a rocking support, The lower end of said rocking support is coupled to a fixed support, D*. In its upand-down movements, the receiving end of the auxiliary section must follow the arc traversed by the bearings, B This involves a bodily endwise movement of the auxiliary section. The rocking support, D permits such endwise movement. On the shaft, D are a pair of. rollers, D At the opposite end of said section is a horizontal, transverse shaft, D, on which are a pair of rollers, D Between the rollers, D, is a sprocket wheel, D and between the rollers,

D, is a sprocket Wheel, D rigid on thesprocket chain, D is a floor, D which serves as a support for the belt, D The front end of the shaft. D, projects forward beyond the bearing, B and rigid on said end is a sprocket wheel, D The shaft, B projects forward through the forward hearing, B". Rigid on said end is a sprocket wheel, D. A sprocket chain, D extends around the sprocket wheels, D and D, for the transmission of power from the shaft, B, to the shaft, D. Thus the belt, D is driven through the rotation of the sprocket wheel, 13. In other words, the belt supporting means of the auxiliary section is actuated through power transmission from the belt supporting means of the main section. The sprocket chain, D is used to avoid slack in the upper portion of the belt, D By this means, it is made unnecessary to ext-end the driving sprocket chain, D,

to the shaft, D at the discharge end of the auxiliary section, D. At each side of the receiving end of the auxiliary section is an inclined guide wall. D". Then :abag reaches the extreme left hand or discharge end of the main conveyor section, the-support of saidbag (the belt, B becomes inclined on the roller, B".

auxiliary ection, and-usually.directly upon said section. meets the guide wall, D", at that side and is deflected by said guide wall until the bag lies lengthwise onthe belt, D. If it is desired to have the bags remain standing until the outer end ofthe auxiliary conveyer If the bag falls sidewise, it

That causes the ,tilting'and falling of the bag toward the section is rcached, the meeting ends of the is movable up and down bodily with a parallel movement. The transmissionshaft, B, is present as before. On said shaft is a cam, E which supports the section, E. At the left of the shaft, 0B, and parallel thereto and at the same height is a shaft, E extending through a bearing in the body, A. On the front end of'said shaft, is a. cam, E corresponding to the cam, E and also.supporting the main conveyor section, E.

Withinthe body of the machine, the shaft,

is surrounded by a. sprocket wheel, E*, and the shaft, E is surrounded by a corresponding sprocket wheel, E, and a sprocket chain, Eflsurrounds said sprocket wheels, so that when the shaft, B. is rotated, the shaft, E is also rotated. Thus the cams, E and E will be rotated in unison forraising and lowering said main section. 4

Atthe left or discharge end of the main conveyer section is applied'the discharge auxiliary sect-ion, D, in the manneralready described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive. At the right hand or receiving end of the main section is a receiving auxi liary conveyer section, F, hinged to the end of the section, E, by means of a shaft, F

At its right hand or receiving end, the

conveyor section, F, has a shaft, F extending transversely and horizontally through the section, and to the projecting ends of said shaft is applied a fixed support, F Within the section, F, an idle roller, F-*, surrounds the shaft, F

'The section, .E,.has a floor, E and the section, F, has a floor, F

All endless belt, E extends over the two sections, E and F, and around the rollers of said sections...

The filled bags are placed on the auxiliary receiving section, F, and are carried by the belt, E to the section, D, the delivery of the bags to the latter section being the same as already described concerningthe delivery of bags from the section, B.

The left-hand end of the section, F, va-' i-ies a little from upright movement, and it correspondingly moves the section, E, endwise. The section, D, adapts itself to the up-and-down and endiwisemovements of the section, E.

I claim as my invention,

1. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with 'the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections .being placed end to. end and the main section being located under the sewing head and movable up and down, and the end of'the auxiliary section which is adjacent the main conveyer section being movable up and down relatively to its other end, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with a sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections being placed end to end and the main section being'located under the sewing head and movable up and down, and the end of the auxiliary section which is adjacent the main conveyer section being coupled to the main section for movement, up and down relatively to its other end, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus'of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections being placed end to end and the main section being located under the sewing head and movable up and down, and the end of the auxiliary section which is adjacent the main conveyer section being movable up and down while the opposite end of the auxiliary section is held at approximately unchanged level, substantially as described.

11''. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said section being placed end to end and the main section being located under thesewing head and movable up and down, and the end of the auxiliary section which is adjacent the main conveyer section being movable up and down synchronously with the main section while the opposite end of the auxiliary section is movable endwise, substantially as described.

5.111 an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections being placed, end-to-end and the end of the main section ad acent the auxiliary section being located under the sewing head and sewing head and hinged to a relatively fixed support, and the end of the auxiliary sec tion which is adjacent the main conveyer section being movableup and down synchronously withthe adjacent end of the main section, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections be ing placed end-to-endand the meeting ends of said sections being coupled to each other and together movable up and down, and their opposite ends being held at approxiniately unchanged levels, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections be-' iiig placed end-to-end and the main section being located under the sewing head and movable up and down, and the end of the auxiliary section which is adjacent the main conveyer section being movable up and down synchronously with the main section and relatively to its other end and each of said sections comprising a conveyer belt, and means for driving said belts, substantially as described. V

8. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with a sewing head, of a main conveyer section and an auxiliary conveyer section, said sections being placed end-to-end and the main section being located under the sewing head and movable up and down and the adjacent end of the auxiliary section being movable up and down SYIIClHODOllSly with the main section and relatively to its other end and each of said sections comprising a conveyer belt and ro tatable belt supporting means, means for driving the belt supporting means of one of said sections, and means for transmitting motion from said supporting means to the supporting means of the other conveyer section for driving the belt of that section, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a main conveyer section and a discharge auxiliary conveyer section, said sections being placed end-to-end and the main section being located under the sewing head and movable up and down, and the end of the auxiliary sect-ion which is adjacent the main conveyer section being movable up and down synchronously with the main section and relatively to its other end, and each of said sections comprising a conveyer belt, the fiat upper "faces of said belt being separated at the meeting ends of said sections in order that afilled bag. arriving at the end of the main conveyer section will lose support and fall lengthwise upon the auxiliary secmovable up and down, and the end of the auxiliary section which is adj acent, the main conveyer section being movable up and-down synchronously with the adjacent end of the main section and relatively to its other end, and being lower'than said end of the main section, in order that a filled bag arriving at; the end of the main conveyer section will lose support and fall forward lengthwise upon the auxiliary section, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination with the sewing head, of a conveyer section located under the sewing head and movable up and down, a counter-weight located within the body of the machine, cable guiding means located above the counter-weight, a lever having one end coupled to saidconveyer and having its other end'coupled to the body of the machine, and a cable extending from said counter-weight upward over said supporting means and downward to and forming connection with said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 'namethis 2nd day of March, in the year 

